History YMMV / LegoRacers

* AnticlimaxBoss [=/=] DisappointingLastLevel: In the second game, Rocket Racer is the ''easiest boss in the game''. Even Sam Sanister is harder than him. To elaborate more, the levels that surround Rocket Racer are some of the most enjoyable and well-designed levels in the game -- they use over-the-top antics such as loop-de-loops and ramps, which is breath-taking after seeing mostly tracks that consist of land and not much else. The Xalax tracks also have the most variety in the game; instead of being a different route on the same map every time, everything changes up. The bosses of the previous worlds also are unique in their own ways -- Sam Sanister is super fast, Riegel uses a HumongousMecha to race you, and the Berg is a strong monster who races you on foot. Rocket Racer [[{{Irony}} barely stacks up to the regular NPCs of the game.]] The track also leaves a ton to be desired -- it's a complete circle with occasional walls and ramps, and nothing else. Unless you've been actively avoiding upgrades by this point, he's a total cakewalk, and even if you have accomplished the former, a power-up or two is usually enough to make it.

* FollowTheLeader: The first ''LEGO Racers'' game is quite similar to ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing's'' gameplay engine, and even the power-ups. But besides that, it's unique with courses, characters, and a build option.
** Many of the PowerUp abilities in ''LEGO Racers 2'' closely mirror those of ''Videogame/MarioKart''. This is most blatant with the ninja Power-Up, which turns your car invisible (preventing the homing missile from homing in on you) and gives you the ability to steal other players' Power-Ups, just like the Boo Power-Up from the ''Mario Kart'' series![[note]]Unlike the Boo Power-Up, though, the ninja Power-Up does not disable collisions, and you actually have to physically collide with another player in order to steal their Power-Up.[[/note]]

* PowerupLetdown: Yellow + one white in the first game is...arguably worse than yellow with no white. Yellow with no white lays down an oil slick that causes the player who comes in contact with it to spin out; it stays for a fairly long period of time, so if you're a little ahead, there's still a chance that a player could run into it. A yellow and a white throws a keg of dynamite behind you that creates explosions, sending the victim flying upwards and slowing them down. The problem is that it works more like a backwards projectile rather than a trap, meaning that if there's nobody immediately behind you, it's a complete waste.
** It creates ''three'' explosions and lasts a fair while, and if you use it when you're far ahead its flight lasts a long while, so that's not the biggest problem. Getting hit by one blast is annoying. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Getting hit dead-on by it and suffering all three... GG.]]
** The biggest problem, rather, is that who it aims for is unpredictable (and it can hit [[EpicFail nowhere near anybody]]), so it may not target the boss you'd really like out of your hair, whereas the oil slick is placed wherever you activate it, so it can be deliberately placed in front of your intended target (or [[BatmanGambit a powerup/upgrade brick you know they'll go for]]).
* PurposefullyOverpowered: The game's design suggests at least some self-awareness of Warp's status as a GameBreaker, as [[spoiler: it's [[FinalBoss Rocket Racer's]] preferred powerup,]] and [[spoiler: his track is set up to allow ''[[GameplayDerailment both of you]]'' to [[{{Whoring}} spam]] the ''heck'' out of it, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools making for a hell of a climactic showdown.]]]]

* UnstableEquilibrium: If you get ahead of the pack. When you're in front, you get the first pick of all the powerups and upgrade bricks... but you're vulnerable to getting hit with red attacks, which make you drop your upgrade bricks (and knock you back). When you're behind, everyone else grabs all the good stuff first. But if you can get ''far enough'' ahead that the former isn't a threat, such as through a Turbo Start followed by an early Warp... GG.

* EarWorm: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2D4PV42YRQ The first game's menu theme.]]

* PurposefullyOverpowered: The game's design suggests at least some self-awareness of Warp's status as a GameBreaker, as [[spoiler: it's [[FinalBoss Rocket Racer's]] preferred powerup,]] and [[spoiler: his track is set up to allow ''[[GameplayDerailment both of you]]'' to [[{{Whoring}} spam]] the ''heck'' out of it, [[TropesAreNotBad making for a hell of a climactic showdown.]]]]

*** Rocket Racer's unique track only has red, green and white bricks, and this allows him to spam the game-breaking warp drive whenever he gets the chance, more so than any other opponent. You're left in the dust if you don't do the same -- [[TropesAreNotBad and it makes for an amazing showdown.]]

** If you keep maxing out Green Bricks, it's pretty much impossible to lose. [[SelfImposedChallenge Should you want to actually challenge yourself, you can avoid them]].

** Also, the second game had the "Destructabrick" power up. Using that one twice in a row will basically assure your victory. It does not require any aiming skills to use and cannot be countered by any other power up. It's so bad that the AI doesn't use it at all, because having half your car disintegrate regardless of where you currently are is simply frustrating.

** The Berg from the second game. Dear gosh, the Berg. He starts at the first red light, and lays icebergs on the track, and due to the controls, it's made much harder than it should be to dodge them. Reigel comes in a close second, as he uses a HumongousMecha. Both can't use power-ups nor be affected by them, so almost every power-up except the drill become of any use.

** Veronica Voltage, the opponent in the first game's TimeTrial. Unlike every other driver she knows where the shortcuts are and how to use them. She's also [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules immune to friction]], letting her cut corners across sand and the like at full speed where anyone else would be slowed down if they tried.
*** While she's definitely ThatOneBoss, you can ''also'' be immune to friction [[GuideDangIt when using a nitro boost]], and there's a lot of nitrous bricks on the Time Trial versions... it's ''plausible'' that's what she's doing.

** Knightmare-athon. It comes at the beginning of the circuit, and is much harder than many levels before and after it. In the mirrored version, where it comes last in the circuit. If you were barely taking the lead, this track will be here to screw you over.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome:
** Rocket Racer's introduction. ''[[{{NarmCharm}} The best kind]]'' of dated HamAndCheese, without a spoken word.
** Any time you win a race by the skin of your teeth, especially if it involves [[IndyPloy your car bouncing around barely in control from the effects of]] a NitroBoost PowerUp, coming out of Warp, or a Grapple Hook boost.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XK0FDJBmqk Rocket Racer Run.]]
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9FFT1xr10A Knightmare-athon]] comes in at a close second.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN42epILQa0 Riegel's Racetrack]] from the second game.

* AnticlimaxBoss [=/=] DisappointingLastLevel: In the second game, Rocket Racer is the ''easiest boss in the game''. Even Sam Sanister is harder than him. To elaborate more, the levels that surround Rocket Racer are some of the most enjoyable and well-designed levels in the game -- they use over-the-top antics such as loop-de-loops and ramps, which is breath-taking after seeing mostly tracks that consist of land and not much else. The Xalax tracks also have the most variety in the game; instead of being a different route on the same map every time, everything changes up. The bosses of the previous worlds also are unique in their own ways -- Sam Sanister is super fast, Reigel uses a HumongousMecha to race you, and the Berg is a strong monster who races you on foot. Rocket Racer [[{{Irony}} barely stacks up to the regular NPCs of the game.]] The track also leaves a ton to be desired -- it's a complete circle with occasional walls and ramps, and nothing else. Unless you've been actively avoiding upgrades by this point, he's a total cakewalk, and even if you have accomplished the former, a power-up or two is usually enough to make it.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN42epILQa0 Rigel's Racetrack]] from the second game.

** Knightmare-athon. It comes at the beginning, and is much harder than many levels before and after it.
*** Except in the mirrored version, where it comes last. If you were barely taking the lead, this track will be here to screw you over.
** Pirate Skull Pass is possibly even worse.
** Adventure Temple Trail. Not only do you have to deal with ''many'' 90 degree corner turns, but the very last thing you encounter before the finish line is a three-lane-split corridor in which two are picked [[RandomNumberGod at random]] to contain the '''exact same''' '''[[InterfaceScrew Interface Screw]]''' '''effect from the Level 3 Yellow bricks'''. Keep in mind, this in in the '''''same''''' Circuit as the above-mentioned tracks, so [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck getting Basil or Gypsy Moth's construction kits]].
*** Actually, there's only one (unless [[{{Troll}} one of your opponents]] [[ArtificialBrilliance plants another one]]), and you can see it in time if it's in the middle, so go for the middle unless you see it there, then cut for one of the others if you do. The rest of the track is pretty tough, though.

** The boss levels in the second game. Sam Sinister is tricky enough with his super-fast car but at least he's just as vulnerable as you are to getting his car destroyed, which is more than can be said for the next two. Reigel drives HumongousMecha which is invulnerable to any powerups you can use (essentially making all powerups worthless). Berg starts running ''before the countdown ends'', and while there is a simple trick to getting ahead of him this little detail can be very frustrating combined with the fact that, again, since he's on foot, power-ups are completely useless.

* DragonAscendant[=/=]DragonInChief[=/=]TheStarscream[=/=]ManBehindTheMan: Something like this is implied by [[TheDragon Basil the Batlord]] being the circuit boss, while [[BigBad Willa the Witch]] is only the "level boss"/representative for [[IncrediblyLamePun "Knightmare-athon"]][[note]](and no more powerful or effective in gameplay than the other generic racers/"level bosses")[[/note]].

* DragonAscendant[=/=]DragonInChief[=/=]TheStarscream[=/=]ManBehindTheMan: Something like this is implied by [[TheDragon Basil the Batlord]] being the circuit boss, while [[BigBad Willa the Witch]] is only the "level boss"[[note]](and no more powerful or effective in gameplay than the other generic racers/"level bosses")[[/note]].

* DragonAscendant[=/=]DragonInChief[=/=]TheStarscream: Something like this is implied by [[TheDragon Basil the Batlord]] being the circuit boss, while [[BigBad Willa the Witch]] is only the level boss (and no more powerful or effective in gameplay).

* DragonAscendant[=/=]DragonInChief[=/=]TheStarscream: Something like this is implied by Basil the Batlord being the circuit boss, while Willa the Witch is only the level boss (and no more powerful or effective in gameplay).

** Any time you win a race by the skin of your teeth, especially if it involves [[IndyPloy your car bouncing around barely in control from the effects of a]] NitroBoost PowerUp or Grapple Hook boost.

** The biggest problem, rather, is that who it aims for is unpredictable (and it can hit [[EpicFail nowhere near anybody]]), so it may not target the boss you'd really like out of your hair, whereas the oil slick is placed wherever you activate it, so it can be deliberately placed in front of your intended target (or [[BatmanGambit a powerup/upgrade brick you know they'll go for).

** However, it creates ''three'' explosions and lasts a fair while, so it's an upgrade unless you're ''that far'' ahead. Getting hit by one is annoying. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Getting hit dead-on by it and suffering all three... GG.]]

* PortingDisaster: While the Game Boy Color port of the first game manages to retain its' trademark build mode, it has been simplified to the point you've got only three brick spots to mess around with. Building a driver is pretty much pointless, since the only thing you'll see most is his/her head - body and leg parts shall always be seen ''only'' in the build mode. The actual gameplay isn't that pleasing either, which means that it pits you against stock baldies in the same cars (their only difference is color), regardless of whether it's the circuit's leader or a last-place jobber. And, of course, there's that kind of FOV which won't let you see the powerup bricks for more than ''ONE'' second - given that the steering is not so perfect to react THAT quickly, your only option is to memorize the entire track. Oh, and there's [[AWinnerIsYou technically no award for beating Rocket Racer]]! Not even a new build set. Not even credits.

** Adventure Temple Trail. Not only do you have to deal with ''many'' 90 degree corner turns, but the very last thing you encounter before the finish line is a three-lane-split corridor in which two are picked [[RandomNumberGod at random]] to contain the '''exact''' '''[[InterfaceScrew Interface Screw]]''' '''effect from the Level 3 Yellow bricks'''. Keep in mind, this in in the '''''same''''' Circuit as the above-mentioned tracks, so [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck getting Basil or Gypsy Moth's construction kits]].

** Adventure Temple Trail. Not only do you have to deal with ''many'' 90 degree corner turns, but the very last thing you encounter before the finish line is a three-lane-split corridor in which one is picked [[RandomNumberGod at random]] to contain the '''exact''' '''[[InterfaceScrew Interface Screw]]''' '''effect from the Level 3 Yellow bricks'''. Keep in mind, this in in the '''''same''''' set of tracks as the above-mentioned tracks, so [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck getting Basil or Gypsy Moth's construction kits]].

** Adventure Temple Trail. Not only do you have to deal with ''many'' 90 degree corner turns, but the very last thing you encounter before the finish line is a three-lane-split corridor in which two are picked [[RandomNumberGod at random]] to contain the '''exact''' '''[[InterfaceScrew Interface Screw]]''' '''effect from the Level 3 Yellow bricks'''. Keep in mind, this in in the '''''same''''' set of tracks as the above-mentioned tracks, so [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck getting Basil or Gypsy Moth's construction kits]].

** Adventure Temple Trail. Not only do you have to deal with ''many'' 90 degree corner turns, but the very last thing you encounter before the finish line is a three-lane-split corridor in which two are picked [[RandomNumberGod at random]] to contain '''exact''' '''[[InterfaceScrew Interface Screw]]''' '''effect from the Level 3 Yellow bricks'''. Keep in mind, this in in the '''''same''''' set of tracks as the above-mentioned tracks, so [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck getting Basil or Gypsy Moth's construction kits]].

** Adventure Temple Trail. Not only do you have to deal with ''many'' 90 degree corner turns, but the very last thing you encounter before the finish line is a corridor, split into three, where two of which are picked [[RandomNumberGod at random]] to contain '''exact''' '''[[InterfaceScrew Interface Screw]]''' '''effect from the Level 3 Yellow bricks'''.

* PortingDisaster: While the [=GameBoy Color=] port of the first game manages to retain its' trademark build mode, it has been simplified to the point you've got only three brick spots to mess around with. Building a driver is pretty much pointless, since the only thing you'll see most is his/her head - body and leg parts shall always be seen ''only'' in the build mode. The actual gameplay isn't that pleasing either, which means that it pits you against stock baldies in the same cars (their only difference is color), regardless of whether it's the circuit's leader or a last-place jobber. And, of course, there's that kind of FOV which won't let you see the powerup bricks for more than ''ONE'' second - given that the steering is not so perfect to react THAT quickly, your only option is to memorize the entire track. Oh, and there's [[AWinnerIsYou technically no award for beating Rocket Racer]]! Not even a new build set. Not even credits.